Bruce:help

    Bruce: What do you think about the appointees to the NLRB?  What do you think about the Supreme Court's involvement with respect to both the NLRB and the Consumer Protection Agency? 

    As a layman, it seems to me this Senate's combination of the filibuster with its conversion of the consent requirement into a non-legislative block of presidential action is an attempt to fundamentally alter the division of powers. But what do I know?

    jollyroger's picture

    The axis of weevil (boll):Paul, Perry, Bachmann & Newt-49% of the caucus. I smell party (Toga? Third?)

    As the few substantive pros and many cons have been hashed out here almost to death, can we step back and make a reasoned estimate of the impact of the current struggle upon the likelihood (Oh, please Jesus, you could have my pony back) of a Ron  Paul third party run.

    Aside from the entertainment value, I pretty much think it would lock in Obama, though he'd lose some votes (like me) to Paul.

    I wonder about the down ballot races?  Would the additional turnout to be expected be leavened with dem or pug leaners as to congress?  I have no clue.

    Richard Day's picture

    FRACKING AS A CAUSE FOR EARTHQUAKES?

              Gaia, by Anselm Feuerbach (1875)
    Gaia, by Anselm Feuerbach (1875)

    FRACKING

    I am beginning to turn into a green guy.

    Romney hands Gingrich a populist platform.

    Most likely Gingrich will come in about fourth in the Iowa caucus which might seem like a big success for the Romney Super PACS who tried to bomb Gingrich out of the race, but for that strategy to work against a personality like Gingrich you have to make sure you kill him (speaking metaphorically) not just wound him. A wounded or threatened animal is sometimes more dangerous than one which can run away from you.

    coatesd's picture

    Time to Choose, America!

    It is likely that 2012 will be long remembered as a watershed year in America politics. It certainly needs to be. Neither the country nor the world can afford much longer the gridlock that is presently immobilizing Washington. We all know that. Here we are, beset with a string of fundamental problems and bumping along the bottom of the most serious recession since the 1930s, frustratingly becalmed in a stalemate between political opposites, with the federal government unable to address the structural reforms that this economy and society so visibly requires.

    Elusive Trope's picture

    A New Year's Eve - Clean, Sober and Liminality-Free

    I have been clean and sober for just over a month now and have made the commitment to travel down the recovery path once again.  Nearly a decade ago I had tried this before and after a couple of years of a week here and a month there I was able to achieve about a year of continuous sobriety before going "back out."  Consequently I saw new year arrive last night sober for just the second time in some thirty five years (except for those times I had fallen asleep before the midnight hour).

    I don't bring this up seeking some kind of congratulations (or pity), nor to wag my finger at all those out there who enjoy their libations in whatever preferred form.  The reason I bring this up can be seen in the word "libation" itself. While we now use the word to merely describe any of the intoxicating beverages (and other substances) we consume or the consuming of such, it originally referred to the pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual or the liquid so poured.  Like the word libation, our celebrations have tended to lose their role to help orientate us in the world once the event is over.  They have become just merely another event in which we participate. 

    Herbert Blau wrote in Taking Up the Bodies:

    We lack the ritual forms with the clear events; when we have the clear events we distrust the forms.

    jollyroger's picture

    Battleground Earth

    No, this is not a review of the execrable movie.

    This is a pivot from the  justifications elsewhere raised in connection with the assasination of Anwar Al-Alwaki (and, parenthetically, his minor son--too bad Al-A's father didn't include the kid in his original lawsuit, he mighta won on the standing issue if he sued for his grandkid, but who'da thunk we'd snuff the kid too...)

    In case you actually prefer facts

     From Dean Baker to Brad Delong to Flavius to you:

    Social Security Is NOT Selling Government Bonds: In an article discussing the implications of the extension of the payroll tax cut, [Jia Lynn Yang of] the Washington Post told readers:

    jollyroger's picture

    Ron Paul:"Even the Nazis got trials."

    Goddamit, this is worth something.

    I have earlier flirted with the lure of the one-issue constituent, or more precisely in Paul's case, three issues...) and I have humbly swallowed the inevitable scorn that (deservedly) is heaped upon one who would ignore acres of batshit crazy evil, so blinded by the beacon glare of an end to oppressive adventure abroad and at home.

    Santorum and Ambrosia both surge in Iowa.

    As caucus feeding frenzy comes to a gluttonous end in the inland state of Iowa there are likely more coastal journalists, consultants, and other out of state lookie-loos there than native caucus-goers. Last night from several states away I watched Chris Matthews and other television hosts broadcast their shows from local restaurants and cafes across Iowa. I was reminded of my many gourmet dinner outings with my mother who retired back to her native state of Iowa.

    Richard Day's picture

    THE SUPREME COURT, THE ORACLE OF DELPHI AND THE OLD LADY WITH THE BONES.

    Priestess of Delphi (1891) by John Collier

    Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece, and in theory all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literally navel) of the world.

    People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, usually cryptic, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war.

    Here are ThinkProgress’s nominations for the most extreme attacks on a woman’s right to choose:

    Elusive Trope's picture

    The Liberal Conundrum and Ron Paul

    The mixed reactions from those on the Left regarding Ron Paul seems to me to come the collision between two very strong perspectives or attitudes.

    On the one hand, liberals believe in a strong role of the government when it comes to ensuring an equitable and just society.  We don't believe anybody should be left behind and those who would lessen the common good for their individual benefit should be thwarted.  We believe it does take a village and a corporation shouldn't dump toxic waste into the nearby river because it is cheaper.

    The conundrum arises because in the modern world, the village has to operate in many or most cases through the state.  Whether it is educating our children, enforcing environmental laws, assisting those in poverty, or dealing with our global neighbors, it is the state - local, state and federal - that has take at least the lead role in the matter.

    tmccarthy0's picture

    Don't Google The Santorum Surge

    And so it goes, it is time for the Santorum Surge in the GOP Primary as each of the not-Mitt former front-runners flame out like candles in a typhoon. We should review what has happened in this season of Republican's vying for the Presidency.

    Tom Udall for Vice President?

    OK, to start with, this is meant partly tongue-in-cheek. But… only partly.

    As you may recall, in 2008 there was some name calling within the Democratic party as to whether you were a racist (if you were a Clinton supporter) or you were a sexist (if you were an Obama supporter). Obviously, I'm hand-waving quite egregiously, but I trust that everyone remembers what I'm referring to, even if I am being a bit glib about it.

    David Brooks, the insouciant conservative.

    The insouciant conservative is back to work after Christmas, sharing his typical rationalizations of the core beliefs of conservatives and the failings of, for example, Obama. 

    Framing his criticism of Obama's Teddy Roosevelt pitch within his own vast perspective of three centuries of social norms and economics, Brooks debunks Obama's attempt to compare the Progressive movement in the early 1900's with our current state of affairs. In criticizing the Obama team for making inept comparisons, he does worse himself.

    Elusive Trope's picture

    New Year's Resolution #215: Don't Fear the Loop

    Christmas is over and we now move on to the New Year celebration. With a general consensus as to its secular nature, we are fortunately not subjected to wringing hands about any wars against it.  We do, however, have to deal with the seemingly unending ‘Best of 2011’ lists and talk about resolutions for the new year (as well as the Mayan prophecy about the end of world).

    Elusive Trope's picture

    Those Winter Sundays

    Sundays too my father got up early
    and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
    then with cracked hands that ached
    from labor in the weekday weather made
    banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
    jollyroger's picture

    Newt:"Virginia ballot disaster? Did it on purpose, love a challenge. The write in campaign starts today, Thelma & Louise are handling get out the vote transportation."

    I know that I am overworking the Thelma and Louise reference, but surely the astonishing, unprecedented, failure of a front running aspirant to get his name on an important ballot is a direct consequence of having lost his entire staff of professionals.

    Elusive Trope's picture

    Remembering Professor Sugar

    Recent blogs by myself and others has me pondering the notion of nations and the forces that hold them together and tear them apart.  And this pondering inevitably leads to remembering Professor Peter Sugar.  I only took one class from him during my time at the University of Washington in pursuit of a degree in history.  Yet he had a profound impact on how I see the world and the relationship between that world and myself (and others). 

    I Got the Spirits, So...

     Dag- gone- it, here is wishing a happy Christmas and a happy New Year to all the Dag-on people here and to everyone else around the world.

    Elusive Trope's picture

    One Nation Under God - Or Not

    In spite of the diversity of the country and our best intentions, we do find ourselves in a community of folks that lean one particular way or another.  I have spent most of my adult life in the Northwest urban areas. As a consequence, it was easy to believe the folks who will say, when the topic turns to God, "I'm spiritual, not religious" were quite common.  As my recent years in the Mid-West and Gallup's newly released finding from their religious identity poll attest to, this is not really the case when we scan the contours of the American nation.  Gallup summarizes the findings this way:

    Christmas Message from America's Rich

    Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone, Christmas message from the rich, excerpts:

    ....Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus, for instance, is not worried about OWS:“Who gives a crap about some imbecile?” Marcus said. “Are you kidding me?”....

    The christmas myth of creation---jobs, that is.

    There are a host of myths about Christmas---as well as anti-myths. There is a myth, particularly around this website that evil forces are not attempting to take Christ out of Christmas---when it is perfectly clear they are. Thus the anti-myth must be reinforced by Christians, particularly around North Dallas mega churches. Cops who control mega traffic for Christmas service goers are stopping drivers and motioning for them to roll down their windows and take a bumper sticker--Don't let them steal Christmas!. I was pulled over to the curb, a Cop asked me about my bumper sticker---which reads, I reject the myth that they are not trying to steal Christmas

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